Living a healthy lifestyle is very important. You don’t have to be extremely healthy to maintain a “healthy lifestyle” but it can be a little harder to maintain this lifestyle in college. I would consider myself to live a healthy lifestyle and I still eat Wendy’s, go out for drinks, and can be lazy at times. It’s all about moderation. Here are some tips that help me maintain a healthy lifestyle while enjoying life.

1. Don’t drink as much

This tip is #1 on my list because drinking is very prevalent in college. Stop drinking every single weekend. If you can’t stop yourself from this than at least only drink one day out of the week. Alcohol has a lot of calories in it so it is important that you not drink as much.

2. Cook Dinner

We all have a dining hall that is filled with pizza, fries, and tons of desserts. A meal plan is expensive so using your swipes is important but, if you can cook at home do it! Stop buying those microwavable dinners and learn how to cook chicken, fish, and rice. Your diet is very important and affects your mood! You are what you eat….

3. Get good sleep

If you’re in college you are probably laughing at this one. Getting a good amount of sleep is almost impossible in college. Roommates are loud, papers are due, and sometimes we stay out way too late. It’s important that you find a happy medium! Try to block out the noise by wearing some headphones or even try an eye mask.

4. Exercise

Getting some sort of exercise every day will help you keep some weight off! Going to the gym might not fit into your schedule and that’s okay. If you can’t make it to the gym try walking to your classes instead of driving, stretch when you wake up in the morning or try to do some at home exercises.

If you make a conscious effort to make a change in your daily habits you will start to see changes in your mood and with your body. Living a healthy lifestyle in college is possible! It just takes a little bit of effort.

Once the weather starts to get a little colder I lose all motivation to try to dress cute. Athleisure is a new trend where you wear your workout clothes in a cute way but is also needed for the gym! This trend is great if you have a busy schedule or in college due to the fact that you can look cute in a quick amount of time! Here are my athleisure essentials.

Wireless Headphones

Wireless Headphones are essential to go a good workout and looking cute. Nothing is more annoying than having to worry about the cord while working out or walking around. It always gets tangled up or caught in something.

A Smart Watch

Smartwatches, Apple Watches, or FitBits are all good accessories to wear in and outside of the gym. These watches track your sleep patterns, how many steps you take, and how many calories you are burning. I have the Apple Watch and I love it. You can switch out your band and it’s waterproof!!

A Cute Water Bottle

Staying hydrated is important so why not have a cute water bottle! A S’well water bottle is a little bit on the pricier side but T.J. Maxx always has cute water bottles.

A Cute Pair of Sneakers

Buying a cute pair of black sneakers is really important. They will go with anything! I would pay attention to what brand you wear the most unless you don’t mind wearing two different brands at once!

Nice Leggings

Leggings are also extremely important. I try to avoid any leggings that aren’t black. Black leggings don’t show sweat, stains, and go with almost everything! Plus you can wear these in the fall, winter, spring, and maybe summer.

Pullover / Crewneck

A nice pullover or sweatshirt is not a want but a need. Instead of walking around in your dingy workout tops you can just put a cute pullover on!

It is possible to look cute, trendy, and be ready for the gym all at once. Thank goodness athleisure became a trend. It made getting ready a lot easier!

On almost every form of social media, you will see a video of someone working out on your feed. Some of these workouts seem a little crazy and sometimes even impossible. It’s important that you incorporate simple exercises into your routine. Here on some of my favorite exercises that are simple, effective, and have helped me gain a lot of strength!

1. The SquatThis is such a simple exercise that can be done in many different ways. If you’re intimated by a barbell you can use a free weight, a kettlebell, or you could just use your body weight! This is definitely my go-to exercises and always gives me a good burn.

2.Interval Training

Interval training will help you lose that stubborn fat in a quick and efficient way. Instead of running at a steady pace for 20 plus minutes try to change your speed. For example, I will run at a pace of 8 for 45 seconds and will jump to the side of the treadmill to rest for 10 seconds. I will do this for 10 rounds or until I’m fatigued.

3.Push Up’s

Push Up’s are a very basic exercise that can be done anywhere! Push up’s work not only your chest but also your shoulders, triceps, and your core. If you aren’t strong enough to do a normal push up you can always get on your knees to do them!

These three exercises will help you burn fat and build some muscle! These workouts are extremely simple and can be modified to your ability. Make sure you increase your weight, speed, or amount of reps if the exercises start to get too easy. Don’t forget that change doesn’t happen quickly. It may take you 3 or 4 weeks to notice a difference!

Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Your body can move and do amazing things only if you take care of it. It’s hard to do both simultaneously. Life gets in the way and we sometimes forget to eat better, get enough sleep, and even be active.

Personally, I go through periods of time where I stop working out and tracking what I eat and I feel terrible. I sleep all day, I lack energy, and mentally I’m not happy. Here are three easy ways to make sure you’re not only keeping your body happy but also your mind.

1.Sleep

It’s important that individuals sleep an average of 6-8 hours a night but for some people, this might be impossible. As a college student, I barely ever get 6 hours of sleep. This is because I am so stressed that I can’t allow my mind to calm down.

Some tips for getting better sleep are to not be on your phone or laptop 1 hour prior to you going to sleep. Also, make sure you aren’t drinking caffeinated drinks late at night. Try to read a book, or drink some warm tea as you start winding down. I found that Celestial Sleepytime Tea works the best!

2. Stress less

This one might be the toughest. But, overall you should avoid situations or people that make you unhappy. Stress can make a person feel drained which causes them to not have a lot of energy. It’s important that if you are stressed to find something that makes you happy. For me, going to the gym is a huge stress reliever. Nothing makes me feel better than hitting a new PR ( personal record) or just getting a good workout in.

3. Slow Down

It’s important that you take time for yourself every once in a while. I call slowing down “me time”. Life can be crazy but you need to make time for things that me YOU happy not others. Take a weekend to just be alone and reflect on what’s going on in your life. Nothing is wrong with binge watching some T.V shows every once and a while!

Hopefully, these three tips will help you keep your mind and body healthy! It’s important to make sure that you’re not only healthy but also happy.

Heres to a week of slowing down, stressing less, and getting better sleep!

For some people, just the thought of going to the gym scares them let alone, starting a routine. It’s important to remember that everyone starts from somewhere and not everyone’s starting point is the same. Here are some tips that I have used or that I have found helpful when beginning my fitness journey!

1. What are your fitness goals?

Before working out it is important to pinpoint what your fitness goals are. Are you wanting to lose weight? Gain more muscle mass? Loose 5 inched of off your hips? These are important questions to ask yourself. Once you have figured out your fitness goals it’s important that you write them down or create a vision board. Once this is created you should place it somewhere you look every day.

2. Do Your Research

Starting something new means that you are a beginner and might not know how to do certain movements or how to work certain machines properly. Hiring a personal trainer is not always the most affordable option. There are a lot of free sources that provide you with clear instructions on how to squat, deadlift, plank correctly, and much more. Personally, I used YouTube and it is extremely helpful. This is because you can not only see what the person is doing but, you can also hear their instructions and. Some helpful YouTubers and my personal favorites are Whitney Simmons, Nikki Blacketter, and Meg Squats.

3.Create a workout plan

Now that you have done your research and know what your fitness goals are, it’s important to plan out your workouts. A good resource on how to do this properly is by watching a video done by Heidi Somers. Creating a workout plan helps you visualize what workouts you are going to do for the following week. Also, once you start to see your progress you will understand what is working for your body and what’s not.

These three tips will help anyone begin their fitness journey. It’s important to remember that everyone starts from somewhere and to be kind to your body. Progress does not happen overnight or within a couple of weeks. It takes time, patience, and dedication.

Wow, hi followers! I know I have been completely MIA lately but, I just went on a super fun trip to NYC and wanted to share some photos with you guys. I can catch you guys up on all the boring stuff later!

I remember the first time I went to New York City and I absolutely fell in love and said to myself this is where I want to be. Fast forward 5 years and I still get that feeling every single time I visit.

The weather was freezing cold this time so my mom and I focused our attention on going to museums. Shopping for me isn’t really a priority since I have tons of clothing and everything is super expensive.

Here is a list of the major places I visited while I was there for 5 days.

MoMA

The Met

Ripley’s Believe It or Not

Chelsea Market

Black Tap

I hope you enjoy my photo diary! If you know any cool spots in NYC that aren’t “touristy” please comment! I am always looking for cool places to visit.

The drive is about 8 hours long. My mom drove the first 4 hours and then we switched. This meant that I had to drive through the city. Let’s just say that the lanes are a suggestion. Also, if you have to switch lanes don’t hesitate and don’t be afraid to get hit. All in all, I handled it pretty well but my mom was a little scared in the passenger seat.

Since we got to the hotel later in the day, we decided to go to the Ripleys Believed It or Not museum in Times Square. Normally, we wouldn’t choose to do something like this but, we wanted to fill our time with something different. Also, I hate Times Square with a passion. It’s one of those places where you only need to go once.

“Black Hole” This was super hard to walk through and made you very dizzy

DAY TWO

MoMA was our next stop on this trip. I was really excited about this because I have never been able to go! We started at the top level at worked our way down. I would highly recommend this way to anyone who visits any museum. If you think about it, it’s honestly the most logical way to do it. This was by far my favorite part of the trip!

On this day we also went to eat at Black Tap. You will probably recognize this restaurant because the milkshakes are super famous. I would highly recommend Black Tap. The service was really good and the food came out very fast. But, a burger is $18….

This $15 milkshake was worth every penny. I decided to get the Cookies and Creme one. That giant cookie is actually a massive oreo ice cream sandwich!

DAY THREE

This day out of all the days was the most interesting day. The temperature was freezing and we got stuck in a snowstorm. I didn’t pack properly so I wore suede boots and by the time we got outside my toes were soaking wet and I couldn’t feel them. This resulted in my mom and I having to find a store that had rain boots. Thank you Payless, I owe you big time.

Since it was snowing like crazy we spent most of our day in The Met. Let me just say I have seen enough Renaissance paintings to last a lifetime. The museum was massive and not to mention there are two other museums that you get to see when you purchase a ticket. By the end of this day we were cold, tired, and over museums.

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DAY FOUR

On our final full day in NYC, we decided to go to Chelsea Market. I didn’t take many pictures due to the fact that I go there almost everytime we visit. On the day that we went, it was international women’s day and we were able to get flowers for free. The flowers were beautiful and it was such a sweet gesture. I wanted to go to Dumbo on this day but, I was so tired that I forgot. Dumbo is a must if you ever visit the city!

OTHER PHOTOS

These cupcakes were SO tasty!Sleepy girl on the 7 train

Snowy views from The Met

On the fifth day, it was time to leave. It’s really depressing to go to NYC and then go back to school. Hopefully, I will be able to live and work in the city but, until then I will continue to visit this amazing city any chance I get.

It’s the beginning of a new month so that means its time for me to catch you guys up with what I have been up to!

October is by far my favorite month. It’s finally getting cold enough for cardigans, the leaves are changing, and it’s almost Halloween!

Here are some of my favorite moments from October

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My niece, Olivia

At the beginning of the month, I went home to spend time with my family. We all met up at this cute little festival to take some family photos.

My sister & IMy mom, sister, niece, and brother in law

The pictures came out pretty good! We desperately tried to coordinate outfits but, we clearly didn’t. Also I never smile with my teeth ( I have braces).

Every year I always come home to go to Howl-O-Scream. I dont have to pay for a ticket due to the fact that I have a Seasons Pass! Even though I have to go through the mazes with my ears closed and my eyes half shut, I always have fun!

While I was home again ( I went home for two weekends) my mom had started to decorate. My mom decorates for every holiday. I think thats where I got my love for decorating from. We also celebrated my sisters birthday that weekend.

Once I came back to school it was time for Halloween! Halloween is honestly my favorite holiday. I love getting all dressed up and just having fun with some friends. During this week my parents surprised me with a little care package.

Last week I received my first Voxbox from Influenster! If you guys don’t know what Influenster is, it is basically a website where you fill out surveys and give reviews. Every once in a while you will get an email that will ask you to take a survey to see if you are qualified for the next Voxbox!

My box took about 2 weeks to get to me. I think this is because I go to school in the middle of nowhere.

Here are all of the FREE goodies I received from Influenster! I actually got two different packages of Sour Punch Mini Bites BUT I ate the other package before taking this picture (oops).

One of the items I received were these tampons. Not much to say about these because, well, they’re tampons and they get the job done. But, this is the brand I ALWAYS use.

Next up is this acne body & face scrub. I have crazy skin. Sometimes my skin is oily and then its dry. Honestly, I cant remember when my face wasn’t broken out. This scrub leaves my skin feeling so nice. I’ve only used it twice so far so I don’t know if this stuff actually works.

I was really excited when I saw I got nail polish! I honestly paint my nails a different color every other day. Only because I pick it off but, I still love to paint my nails. The pink is in the color 24/7 and the purple is in the color PURPUNK. The purple color is an overcoat & it gives your nail a shattered effect.

OKAY now, this dry shampoo is SO SO SO good! It’s been super humid where I am at for the past week & this stuff has been amazing. The only bad thing about this product is that it is white. So you really have to be careful about how much you put in your hair!

Another thing that was in my box was this protein bar. I normally don’t eat them because they’re normally super chewy and gross But, this Balance bar in the flavor cookie dough wasn’t too bad.

Lastly, I recieved this yummy pack of Sour Punch Mini Bites. I actually got two different packs but, I ate the other ones. I shouldn’t be eating these at all because I have braces BUT I couldn’t resist!

That is what I received in my Dorm Life Voxbox. Thank you so much Influenster!! I can’t wait to see what I get in my next box!

As a junior in college, I now live in a one bedroom apartment! I have actually lived here since last semester. My apartment is still considered on campus even though it isn’t actually “on campus”. This just means I can’t paint or have an animal (which sucks).

My apartment did come fully furnished! I did buy a couple of pieces though just to make it more like home and for storage reasons. Ya girl has A LOT of stuff.

I am still in the process of decorating and changing the vibe of my space. But here is what it looks like now!

Outside of my door, I put this cute little mat! The first night back at school someone moved it but hopefully, no one messes with it anymore.

This doormat was only $10.99 from Target

This doormat will add character to any door! Especially in a boring college hallway.

•••BEDROOM AREA•••

•••DESK AREA•••

•••LIVING ROOM ••••

•••BATHROOM•••

•••

I’m currently trying to find an inexpensive cow hide rug. I am also trying to make my living space match my tapestries and cow skull! Slowly but surely my space will come together. But for now, I am very happy with it!

As August comes to an end I am feeling both sad and happy. August marks the end of the summer but is the start of my junior year in college. This summer was magical for me and was the best summer I have ever had.

Throughout the summer I spent most of my time at my internship. When you think of an internship you think of working in a large office and doing tons of paperwork. My internship was the complete opposite! My internship with Live Nation was extremely rewarding and fun at the same time.

This summer I was able to attend 19 concerts! These concerts were:

Chris Stapleton

Train

Chance the Rapper

Florida Georgia Line

One Republic

Kings Of Leon

Lady A

Chicago

R Kelly

Sam Hunt

Foreigner

Boston

Warped Tour

Nickelback

Shaggfest

& TONS more

My favorite concerts would have to be Chris Stapleton, Kings Of Leon, and seeing Nelly. But, production wise, One Republic was by far my favorite!

This internship allowed me to meet professionals in my field, meet the acts, and learn SO much. I was able to meet people who worked with the radio stations & interact with individuals who were extremely passionate about what they did.

When I wasn’t at my internship I was able to spend time with my boyfriend and my family. I went to some baseball games, kayaked, and spent time at the beach.

August 21st marked my 20th birthday. I have lived such a fulfilling life these past 20 years. My birthday isn’t considered a large day for me, but I am thankful for the people who made it special for me. Also, the solar eclipse took place on my birthday so that’s pretty cool!

Welcome to my blog! I’m a 20 something-year-old going to college in a small town in Virginia. My major is Communication Studies with an emphasis in Public Relations. Take a look around and let’s be friends!